The visual range in traffic is usually greatly limited at night. Headlights normally illuminate straight ahead. Adaptive headlights have been introduced to increase the visual range in curves. In classical adaptive headlights, data of the inertial sensor system such as steering angle, yaw rate, and speed are evaluated to estimate the curve radius traveled and accordingly direct the adaptive headlights into the traveled curve. Thus, classical adaptive headlights evaluate the instantaneous trajectory of the vehicle, and therefore the adaptive headlights control based on data from the past. This may cause problems when entering and exiting curves, as well as in alternating curves or S curves, since the future roadway course cannot be deduced from the past or present roadway course. As a result, the adaptive headlights sometimes illuminate in the wrong direction.
German patent document DE 10 2007 012 834 A1 relates to a method for implementing an adaptive headlight function of a vehicle headlight.